Crisp Point Lighthouse … a Keeper’s Life!

Year 5

This past week over 500 people visited Molly and me at Crisp Point Lighthouse. We were thrilled everyone braved the 19 mile long dirt logging road to come visit us. Here is a look behind the scenes of your friendly, neighborhood lighthouse keepers … Molly and Rich.

Most mornings we were up before sunrise. I love photography, and the best images are taken around sunrise and sunset. This stump deserved my attention at sunrise, and then it was off for our daily four mile hike along the beach before guests arrive.

Photos in the blog post which are not watermarked were taken by my wife, Molly. She writes articles in her spare time for many region and national magazines. She also blogs about the Northland at SuperiorFootprints.

Our tasks for the day started between 9 and 10 am. While most of you saw us in the Visitor Center, we did many other things behind the scenes from cleaning bathrooms to freeing cars stuck in the sugar sand (Stay ON the road; the ATV trails may look wide but you will be sorry.)

Molly in the Visitor Center

Rich helping to rebuild some rotted boardwalk (holding the shovel)

At the end of the day we returned to our “official” lighthouse keeper’s residence, our tent! A glass of wine with dinner never tasted so good.

Our final task of the day was to await the sunset and stars. Crisp Point’s beach is rated a #1 or #2 by the International Dark Sky Association. Better stars will not be seen anywhere. The Milky Way and I agree!

 

12 Hours … 1 Lighthouse … 5 Moods … Crisp Point!

Year 5

For the fifth year in a row Molly and I returned to the remote Lake Superior shoreline known as Crisp Point. Our lighthouse keeper’s residence was a small tent pitched 30 yards from the water’s edge. The roar of Lake Superior’s waves put us to sleep. Solitude and Serenity. (photographs taken starting early in the evening on Wednesday,  August 22nd through shortly after sunrise on the 23rd)

6:00 pm … Waves of the North Wind

8:40 pm … Storm abating (5 minutes before sunset)

3:50 am … Night Lights of the Milky Way

6:10 am … The Blue Hour (30 minutes before sunrise)

7:10 am … Sunup Stump (20 minutes post sunrise)

Lighthouse Bound!

Year 5, ,

In the very near future, Molly and I will start our fifth season as lighthouse keepers at Crisp Point on the eastern end of Lake Superior. This job does not provide a cushy residence for the keepers; instead we will be camped 20 yards from Lake Superior and 38 miles from the nearest town (the final 19 miles by dirt logging road). In shore, we consider this location Heaven on earth. When the last guest leaves in the late afternoon, we have the big lake to ourselves with the nearest human being well over ten miles distant. As we will be off the grid, do not expect posts.

Given the recent days have been involved with both visiting relatives and getting ready for Crisp Point, my birding has been local. However, it is good to focus upon the old faithfuls! These birds provide me enjoyment. Maybe even one of these days I will find my Great Horned Owls which hoot back and forth in the middle of most nights near my house.

An “uncommon” Common Crow

A Juvenile Cedar Waxwing

A Juvenile Green Heron catches a minnow